Quintanilla and Wortkotter Lead Mount Tennis to Strong Showing at Bucknell Invitational

LEWISBURG, Pa. The Mount St. Mary’s University Men’s’ Tennis team headed up north this past weekend to compete in their first invitational of the year at Bucknell University. The Mount fought hard alongside teams like Bucknell, Hofstra University, Howard University, Lafayette College, Loyola University (Md.), Saint Francis University (Pa.) and the University of Delaware.

The weekend proved to be a good start to the year, with the highlight being senior captain Brandon Wortkotter claiming the title in the No. 2 flight of singles competition. Wortkotter was able to top Loyola easily in the first round with a score of 6-0, 6-4. The next two rounds provedto be a much tougher fight when he faced Saint Francis and Hofstra. Wortkotter was able to rise above and win both matches in third set tiebreakers; Saint Francis with a score of 6-7, 7-6 (11-9) and Hofstra with a score of 6-1, 3-6 (11-9). The captain proved his fight in the championships by beating his opponent Max McDonald of Bucknell in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) to claim thetitle.

Following his captain, first year Parth Sharma advanced the second furthest for the Mount in the third flight. Sharma won his first collegiate match by coming back to win the second set and third set tiebreaker after having lost the first set against Loyola. He then moved deeper into the tournament with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Bucknell, to secure his spot inthe semi-finals.

Continuing with a strong start for the first-year class of men’s tennis were Jackson Wood (second flight) and Evan Hine (fourth flight). The first-year duo won their first collegiate matches in the firstround of singles play.

Wood defeated Loyola 2-6, 7-5 (10-4) in a third set tiebreaker to earn his spot in the next round. Afterwards, Wood fell to McDonald in a third set tiebreaker and as a result, McDonald advanced to play Wortkotter in the finals. Hine registered his first win for the Mount against Lafayette with a 6-2, 6-4 decision before falling in a long match against Loyola, which went to a third set tiebreaker.

Sophomore Jean Armstrong joined Wood and Hine in celebrating first round wins, but in the third flight. Armstrong was able to defeat Lafayette in his first round with a score of 6-3, 6-7 (10-6).

In doubles, excitement came from Wood and sophomore Zachary Burau, who both reached the consolation final of first flight doubles. They were able to defeat teams from Hofstra, Lafayette and Loyola before falling to Bucknell in the final.

The Men will return to competition at the Loyola Invitational over the weekend of Sept. 22-24.